Southwest Launches Flights To New Caribbean Destination

LINTHICUM, MD — Grab your bathing suit because Southwest Airlines just launched a new route from Maryland straight to the Caribbean.

The budget carrier on Tuesday said it will start flying to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

The nonstop "peak-day service" from BWI Airport "is slated to begin Feb. 7, 2026," Southwest said in a press release.

Two days earlier, Southwest will also start flying daily trips from Orlando to St. Thomas' Cyril E. King International Airport (STT).

“We are excited at the announcement of new airlift into St. Thomas with Southwest Airlines,” Commissioner Joseph Boschulte of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism said in a press release. “As a destination, this expands our accessibility and connectivity to travelers, allowing for seamless and expanded travel opportunities to experience the natural beauty, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality that define the U.S. Virgin Islands.”

These flights are Southwest's first flights to the Virgin Islands.

“Today marks an exciting milestone for the U.S. Virgin Islands and our growing tourism industry,” Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said. “We are proud to welcome this new partnership with Southwest Airlines and look forward to greeting new travelers to our beautiful island home.”

St. Thomas is the airline's ninth island destination in the Atlantic Basin. The others are Aruba, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Southwest also offers international service to Belize, two cities in Costa Rica and three towns in Mexico.

The airline said it will announce another two new destinations this summer. The next route will be announced in August.

Southwest now also has partnerships with Icelandair and China Airlines, providing increased connectivity as the carrier seeks global growth rivaling its counterparts.

Changes At Southwest Airlines

The revamped route network comes as Southwest departs from longstanding practices that made it popular with vacationers but unpopular with business travelers.

Bags no longer fly free on the carrier's cheapest tickets. All tickets purchased for travel starting Jan. 27, 2026, will feature assigned seating. Premium seating will also soon offer extra legroom.

Southwest previously offered free checked bags and open seating. The updates, however, align Southwest with most of its competitors, with base fares bolstered by add-on services.

Southwest is further changing its Rapid Rewards points, offering more points for more expensive fares. Rewards redemption rates will now vary based on the demand for the flight.

Flight credits will now have expiration dates, and there will be a no-frills Basic fare with the cheapest pricing.

The airline also laid off staff at its BWI Airport hub last month, but it declined to say how many workers were affected. Those layoffs followed February's 1,750 corporate job cuts.

“We are listening closely to what our Customers want—from new products and loyalty benefits to new destinations,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors. “We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation.”

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